Ciudadanos will hope to retain all five of it’s current councillors in the upcoming elections in May. Number one on the electoral list, and deputy mayor throughout this last legislature, José Aix, will be followed by the same four councillors that are currently serving in the following order: the councillor for Human Resources and Contracting, Luisa Boné, the councillor for Culture, Mar Ezcurra, the recently dismissed Councillor for Infrastructures, Ángel Noguera, and, finally, the Councillor for Police, Beaches and Festivities, Antonio Sánchez.
The local leadership of the party has decided to retain them all, including Boné and Noguera, both being investigated for two alleged crimes of prevarication, the first for the maintenance contract for green areas on the coast, and the second for the same, plus the road maintenance contract, also in Orihuela Costa.
The announcement was made on Friday evening from inside their new headquarters on la avenida Teodomiro. From a lectern located inside the headquarters (so as not to violate the electoral law) an exultant Aix, stuck out his chest, extolling compliments everywhere to his supporters, who spilled out into the middle of the street with their family and friends.
As a sign of his support, the Ciudadanos deputy for Alicante, a former Orihuela councillor himself, Juan Ignacio López-Bas was present.
In his speech, Aix acknowledged that this last mandate had not been easy. There were many difficulties, including a Dana, a pandemic and, most importantly, a motion of censure.
Between 2015 and 2019 Ciudadanos supported the government of Emilio Bascuñana (PP) but a year ago, they decided to break and ally themselves with PSOE and Cambiemos to evict the PP from the government.
This was a political move that elevated Ciudadanos to a more decisive position, with greater visibility and more powers within the government, now headed by the mayoress, Carolina Gracia (PSOE).
